Operation: CORE
by DanniB
Summary: The KND think they've foiled the Delightful Children's latest plan, but they're about to discover their most dangerous challenge is closer then they think.
1. Success

I do not own the Kids Next Door or anything related to them. Now enjoy the story.

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Kids Next Door mission:

Operation: C.O.R.E.

Controlling

Opponent

Raises

Emergency

If it weren't for the giant tree house standing just down the street from it, the Delightful Children From Down the Lane's mansion surely would have been the eye-catch of the town. Ornate spires and Victorian trestles stood out awe inducing against the humdrum suburban background. But the feelings it instilled in five particular hearts were hardly respectful. In fact, the sight only set their minds to disgust and loathing.

The agents of the Kids Next Door waited silently in the bushes outside the superstructure. Numbuh 1's bald head and shiny sunglasses poked out of the foliage. His eyes tightly scrutinizing the layout before him. Signaling to the red cap nearby, he secured his weapon and rushed across the lawn. His team followed suit, planting their backs firmly against the brick wall.

"Alright team." He started sternly. "The Delightful Children have been receiving their shipments at this entrance."

"Roit, which means it's time we do a little research an' demolition." Numbuh 4 held up his weapon eagerly.

The heavy double doors were locked shut, but that was hardly their concern as Numbuh 5 gently forced the nearby window open and waved her hand to signal that all was clear.

"Let's go." She whispered before slipping in.

The pint-sized warriors followed their spy into the large plush interior of the mansion. The room was piled high with boxes and crates. The Kids Next Door searched for incriminating evidence, but found nothing but packing peanuts, which only served to make Kuki happy.

"Nothing here Boss." Numbuh 2 concluded.

"They must have unpacked it all already." Numbuh 1 answered back.

"Then we gotta 'urry if weh gunna stop those dorks." Numbuh 4 punched a fist into his open palm.

"Looking for something?" A choir of voices spoke from behind.

They spun around simultaneously to face the eerie blue eyes of their enemies. The Delightful Children's faces all shared the same malicious grin as they stepped silently into the room.

"All right Delightfuls," Numbuh 1 shouted with an accusing point. "We know you've been getting shipments to build a new weapon and we've heard all about how you plan to use it to attack Kids Next Door Moon Base!"

The smile never left their devilish lips. The children spoke calmly.

"Is that so?"

"That's right you snobs," the fearless leader smirked, "So where's the weapon?"

The prim fivesome chuckled softly and continued their knowing grin.

"Why Nigel, our supreme weapon is in this very room."

The young operatives tensed themselves searching with their eyes for the deadly armament they now knew was hidden in plain sight.

"Well, where is it?" Numbuh 4 demanded impulsively, "Th'soona we destroy it, th'soona you can get us kickin' your butts ova' with!"

"Oh, there will be plenty of butt kicking to come Wallace." The Delightfuls responded, their faces becoming even more sinister. "But if you're feeling impatient, we can gladly give you a preview."

The floor began to rumble and vibrate as a trap door slid smoothly open before where the Delightful Children were standing. Out rose a mechanical monstrosity best described a something out of a Japanese B movie, only diminutive enough to fit within the confines of the mansion walls.

An elevator door opened on the back of the robot allowing the children to gain entry and take position in the domed cockpit. The Kids Next Door made movements to retreat as the spiked claws and metal tentacles came to life and headed straight for them. They swiftly dodged the first swipe and readied their weapons for battle.

"Kids Next Door!" Their leader commanded, "Battle stations!"

Without further words, ammo was sent flying in a fury of anti-Delightful savagery. The sudden impact sent the robot reeling back a few steps. It recovered itself and aimed a spiked tendril at its attackers. Numbuh 1 saw the thorny appendage and back-flipped from its path. The impact with the floor set the room to tremble as splinters of the hardwood floor flew about. Numbuh 4 cried out a screech of battle and pelted the robot's backside with gumballs at rapid speed. Numbuh 3 did the same with the teddy bears from her THUMPER. Numbuhs 2 and 5 weren't far behind with weapons of their own.

The mechanoid spun its arms rampantly, rotating in a deadly oscillation. Numbuh 5 dodged its whipping fervor and managed to tangle the arm in one of its own tentacles, causing both to break off in a spectacular phantasmagoria of electrical sparks.

"That's it team," Nigel encouraged "take it down!"

As if on cue, all five operatives lunged forward. No longer afraid of the imposing robot of doom, increasing their attack tenfold. Aiming particularly at its newly revealed weak spot. Oddly the expression on the Delightful Children's faces never altered.

"Ha! It'll take more then your cruddy robot de jour to defeat us!" Numbuh 4 proclaimed loudly.

The Delightfuls remained as calm as ever.

"Impressive Kids Next Door." They droned, "But how well can you handle us without your leader?"

They chuckled flatly and eagerly pushed a button on their console. Suddenly, the floorboards beneath Numbuh 1 opened up and swallowed him into a dark void below.

"Numbuh 1!" The remaining operatives shouted with worry as his surprised screams vanished into the depths. Numbuh 5 rushed to the hole just as the floor replaced itself, blocking any chance to reclaim him. She turned an angry glare to the proper quintet. "What are you going to do with him?" She demanded.

The Delightfuls only started their robot up again, two more tentacles emerging from its chest cavity, ready to attack.

"Never mind him." they smiled, "You should be more concerned about yourselves."

Numbuh 1 slid down the slick metal surface, unable to see in the shallow darkness, unable to stop the force of gravity on him. He tumbled clumsily until he popped out the black tube onto the hard floor below. Groaning, he rubbed his head and took in his surroundings. He saw that he had been deposited into a very well decorated home office of some kind. Plush oriental carpet laid neatly out on the polished redwood floor. A bronzed globe sitting in the corner. An oak desk by a closed, curtained window. A large black leather chair stood behind that desk, its back turned to the room.

"Where am I?" Numbuh 1 mumbled, regaining his bearings.

"Hello, Mr. Uno." A despicably familiar voice flowed from within the turned chair. The KND leader cringed with fear and hatred, bitter in the deepest sense, as the seat spun around silently, revealing its owner in all his black, evil glory. Father's yellow glowing eyes laid on the boy with malignant intent. "How nice of you to drop in."

"What do you want Father?" One spat disrespectfully as he took a few steps back, getting ready for anything the adult demon might dish out.

"Well Nigel," the grown up replied calmly and sweetly. "I believe it's past time you and I had a little talk."

"What's there to talk about?" The Brit snarled, "Trying to distract me from my team?"

"This isn't about your team Nigel." Father slowly rose from his chair. "This is about you."

Numbuh 1 tried to resist becoming intrigued, but a raised eyebrow betrayed him. Father smiled.

"I've had an eye on you for some time now. Ever since you first encountered my children, in fact. You're different then most children Nigel. You're smarter, more mature…"

"So's Numbuh 5." One interrupted, "I don't see her here." He secretly wished Numbuh 5 was there. Although he didn't show it, Numbuh 1 was beginning to feel nervous in the direct presence of the most evil of adults.

"Of course," the dark one's buttery voice continued. "But you have certain qualities that even Abigail lacks. Qualities that if properly utilized could be a great benefit to the adult cause."

Nigel sneered, nauseated by the very idea Father was insinuating.

"You're deluded enough to think that I'd actually consider joining the adults? You're more sick then I thought."

"Why not?" Father took a few steps closer. "You've seen what our side is like, Mr. Uno." Nigel clenched his teeth, anger boiling inside at the mention of that painful memory. "And many of your former teammates have already accepted the benefits of the winning side."

"How DARE you compare me to those traitors!!!" Numbuh 1 screamed, his emotions bursting. "What I did during those two weeks was a mistake. A mistake I've since rectified and repented for. I'll never join your side! Never!!!"

Father rolled his pipe to the other side of his mouth.

"I expected as much from you Nigel." He lifted his hand. A ring of fire sprung up around the two. Separating Numbuh 1 from any nearby exit.

"But you will be helping the adults. With or without your consent." Father made a fist, and the ring began to shrink. Nigel too made a fist, ready to fight back.

"You're not scaring me into submission so easily." He declared.

"Always so eager to play with fire, aren't you Nigel. But this time you lack the advantage of being an adult. Or your team's aid."

A ball of flame popped into Father's open hand. Numbuh 1 ducked as the projectile sailed over him, its heat grazing his scalp.

"Is that the best you've got?" The boy teased. Personally Nigel had wanted to take Father on for the longest time. And now he could finally do it on an even playing field, in his true form, and without needing to worry about the safety of his teammates. But the Kids Next Door leader had missed one important detail; when fighting Father, the playing field is never even.

The sudden heat to his hienie reminded Nigel of the still shrinking battlefield. The ring of fire locking him and Father into tighter quarters.

"Things are just getting warmed up." Father smirked, sending another fireball at his young victim. Numbuh 1 continued dancing about, avoiding the flame. The room to move decreasing by the second. Before he could realize it, he and Father were only a foot apart, and the look in those demonic eyes told him; this was right where the adult wanted him.

"I believe this game is over Nigel." The monster drew back a flaming fist. "Time we moved things up to the next level."

Numbuh 1 grunted in pain as the fist made contact with his stomach. A burning ache lingering, so powerful he could swear his guts where on fire. He opened his tensed eyes and beheld the horrible truth.

Father's fist, no, his entire arm, was buried deep into Nigel's body.

"What? No!" The boy gripped the arm with both hands and tried with all his might to dislodge the frightening appendage. Father only laughed manically as his body part sank deeper into Nigel's torso. He took great joy in the child screeching in anguish, the burning getting worse and spreading.

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The giant robot wobbled on its remaining leg as Numbuh 2 had successfully blown up one of them.

"Looks like you're on your last leg, Delightful Children." He smirked, taking pride in the pun.

The evil fivesome would have made a comment over the corny line had Numbuh 4 climbing onto their robot not distracted them. He grinned with malice, prying a panel of metal up with his bare hands, aiming to rip out some wires.

"Hey! Cut that out!" The Delightfuls protested, swinging their robot's arms, tying to smack him off.

"Gunna hafta catch me first dorks!" The Aussie laughed, leaping from his position and climbing farther up, mounting himself on the clear dome on top. With Wallabee in full view, the Delightfuls were witness to his tongue being presented to them in all its raspberry glory.

"Get off of there!" They demanded, swinging a tentacle upwards. Four chuckled with superiority, jumping off in time for the whip to come crashing through their very own cockpit.

The mechanoid teetered with sparks for a moment or two before collapsing into a hunk of useless metal junk. The remaining Kids Next Door cheered and hollered with victory. Their joy was sliced by the sudden pained cries of a familiar voice. All faces melted from happiness to fear and concern.

"Oh no! Numbuh 1!" Numbuh 3 whimpered loudly.

"He must be in trouble!" Numbuh 5 shouted. The boys shared her serious expression. "We gotta find him!"

The four rushed through the mansion, following where they had heard the scream. Fortunately their helpless leader was not far away. They came upon him in a hallway, crawling in his hands and knees out of the shadows of a large room. He coughed and groaned, clutching his chest as he struggled with himself to get to his feet. His teammates did not fail to notice his burns and torn clothing. He looked like he had been through hell.

"Numbuh 1?" Numbuh 5 kneeled to help him up. His body spasmed wildly a moment before she took him in her arms. "Are you alright?"

He swayed on his feet, silent as he steadied, propping himself in the nearby wall with one hand and removing his other from her shoulder. He opened and closed his fist with a satisfied look.

"Yes," he choked out. "I'm fine now."

"What happened?" Numbuh 2 asked.

Numbuh 1 adjusted his sunglasses, clearing his throat. Her expression was shaky and fearful.

"It was awful you guys." He whimpered. "I was just trapped in a fight with Father." His teammates gasped in horror as he continued. "I was barely able to escape with my life."

"Is he still after you?" Numbuh 4 inquired, peering around for any evidence of the demon adult.

"No," Numbuh 1 answered. "He got away. What about the Delightful Children?"

"Oh, we totally demolished their so called 'ultimate weapon'!" Numbuh 2 recounted their triumph.

"Is that so?" Numbuh 1 sounded quite intrigued.

"Yeah!" Numbuh 4 proudly added. "We showed those snots who was boss. We took 'um without even breakin' a sweat."

The bald one smiled.

"I expected as much from them." He paused a moment to fiddle with his sunglasses again. "Shall we get back to the tree house?"

"Sure thing boss!" Hoagie saluted as the reunited team headed for the exit. "We can order a victory pizza!"

"Yay! Pizza!" Kuki clapped.

Numbuh 5 gave her leader one last look over.

"You sure you're ok boss?" She checked.

Numbuh 1 grinned,

"Of course. I'm very glad to hear that everything today went according to plan."

If his sunglasses hadn't been placed just so, and his teammates hadn't been so preoccupied with their win, they may have noticed a yellow spark in their leader's eyes as he smirked knowingly.

To Be Continued


	2. Appearances

I still do not own the Kids Next Door. But feel free to join me in loving them.

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The tree house was a welcome sight for the weary warriors. The door to the main room flew open with the cheers of the victorious quintet. Numbuh 4 recalled, punch for punch, the battle with the Delightfuls to his leader, who seemed lost in thoughts of his own. But the fighter was too absorbed in his prideful retelling to notice. Numbuh 2 listed all the pizza toppings he wanted with Numbuhs 3 and 5 lending their agreement or displeasure.

"Ooh, let's get meatballs and pepperoni!" Numbuh 3 jumped onto the couch with a smile.

"Sounds good to me!" Numbuh 2 agreed with joy, sitting down next to her, scooping up the remote control and turning on cartoons. Numbuh 5 went to the phone to order their pie while Numbuh 4 mounted the recliner and opened a comic book. Before absorbing himself into the graphic novel, the blond noticed his still silent leader observe the group with mild disinterest before heading for his room.

"Hey Numbuh 1, aren't ya gunna 'ang out with us?" he asked.

The bald one didn't turn.

"I have things to do." He replied. "Important things."

"Aw, can't they wait?" Numbuh 2 whined, "You deserve a rest after fighting Father."

"No."

The tone was serious, the word was succinct, before protest could form he was gone. The sound of a door slam echoed through the wooden room.

"Somebody's got his undies in a bunch." Numbuh 3 huffed with disappointment.

"Ah, he's always workin' on sumthin'." Numbuh 5 dismissed, sitting next to her friend. "Last week he was all obsessed wit that new adult detection grid he helped install on KND moon base."

"Gotta admit that was pretty cool." Numbuh 2 interrupted. "We don't have to worry about anyone over 13 sneaking into moon base anymore."

"Yeah! Any adult gets in that grid an' whammo! Every agent with ears knows 'e's there." Numbuh 4 excitedly added. "Numbuh 1's a genius fa thinkin' that up."

"Too bad he's always so busy." Two sighed sadly.

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Eyes focused on the blueprints, every detail of the schematic being committed to memory. The knock on the door was an unwelcome annoyance.

"What?" an irritated British accent grumbled.

"Pizza's here Numbuh 1." Numbuh 3's voice chirped from behind the door.

"I don't have time for pizza." The boy's voice answered back. "I'm very busy."

Kuki opened the door, her face beaming with a huge, enticing grin.

"But it's super duper cheesy!" She skipped to his side, grabbing his hand, trying to lead him out of the room and away from the blueprints of Kids Next Door moon base that he was so intensely studying. "Come on, pretty please!"

The hand snatched itself away.

"Stop bothering me."

Kuki's lip quivered. Numbuh 1's sunglass hidden eyes narrowed angrily.

"Fine Mr. Grumpy pants." She crossed her arms, turning to leave. "Be that way."

Her sleeve- covered hand took the knob. His voice suddenly stammered from behind her.

"Numbuh 3, wait!"

She turned. His eyes were oddly pale, wide open like something had startled him. She curiously watched his lips fumble as if he couldn't make his words come out. He shuttered and gritted his teeth, the stern look returning to his features.

"Numbuh 1?" She cocked her head.

He adjusted his shirt collar, acting as if the spasm had never happened. He smiled cunningly at her.

"I'll join you guys later."

A grin returned to her peachy face.

"Kay!" She then skipped merrily back to the kitchen where a cheesy slice of pepperoni pizza was waiting for her on a paper plate. Her teammates watched her a moment as she took a bite with bubbly vigor.

"'E's not comin'?" Numbuh 4 inquired.

"He was busy." She replied after swallowing. "He said he'd come later."

"Man, what's he doin' dat's mo' important then takin' a pizza break?" Numbuh 5 shook her head before taking a long sip of soda.

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Blue eyes flickered yellow as they landed on the location desired. The diagram on the blueprint was just what he was looking for. It was perfect. The plan was moving like clockwork. Abandoning the papers, he headed for the main room of the tree house for the next step.

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"You've known Numbuh 1 the longest Numbuh 5." Numbuh 2 popped a meatball into his mouth, not bothering to swallow before he continued. "Was he always like this?"

Abby sighed, removing the straw from her lips.

"He's Numbuh 1, not a book." She played with the bill of her cap. "You can't predict him. One minute he's our fearless leader, next he's actin' like a normal kid."

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Halfway there, legs began to fight back, refusing to move. He snarled and enforced control, entering the empty area.

A sad whimper escaped as a cruel smile was forced to the lips.

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Hoagie gulped his root beer, about to take another slice of pizza when a foreign smell wafted through his senses.

"Hey, do you guys smell smoke?"

The others put down their slices and sniffed the air.

"It smells like it's comin' from the briefing room!" Numbuh 5 shouted, jumping from her seat.

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They rushed into the room and almost fell back as the wall of intense heat overcame them. The briefing room was wrought with flames rampaging, consuming all 2X4 technology in its path.

"Fiah!" Numbuh 4 exclaimed near panicking.

"Why didn't the alarm go off?" Numbuh 2 chocked, searching for the fire extinguisher that for some reason was not in its proper place.

With Numbuhs 2, 3, and 4 scrambling around frantically behind her, Numbuh 5 almost didn't see the figure standing amongst the flames.

"Numbuh 1!" She shouted over the crackling fervor, "Stay there! Numbuh 2's gettin' the fire extinguisher!"

The figure in the blaze turned towards her. It was eerily calm behavior for someone surrounded by fire. Simply standing there, as pieces of the building started disintegrating to ash.

"I can't find it! And the sprinkler system isn't responding!" Numbuh 2 called from a console furthest from the heat.

"Why the crud not?" Numbuh 4 pulled his hair nervously. The thought of his beloved home reduced to cinders causing his heart to pound wildly with fear.

"Because, I turned it off."

All heads turned to the composed voice amid the blaze.

"What?" The blond squeaked.

Numbuh 1 began walking slowly towards them. The fire licking his body but consuming nothing as he made his way into the open area. A prideful malice in his smile.

"How else is this place supposed to burn to the ground?"

The Australian's heart stopped and sank quickly to his stomach as a confused lump formed in his throat. This couldn't be true.

"Numbuh 1?" He stammered. "You, you started this fiah?" Tears threatened, "Why?" His fist clenched, "WHY?!"

The heat of his face rivaled that of the fire in his mind. Ping-pong emotions wreaked havoc in his heart. His leader, his friend, his hero, his role model... betraying them all...

"Because, that isn't Numbuh 1!" Numbuh 5 growled, pointing with one hand at the accused and forming a fist with the other. Her chocolate eyes narrowing with hate. "It's Father..."

The remaining operatives gasped, her observation suddenly making everything clear. A deep, mature voice, mixed with an accented child's, spoke.

"Very perceptive Abigail," the dual voiced congratulated. "I had a feeling you'd be the first to catch on, if any."

Numbuh 5 didn't care about his uncouth complement, she continued her glare. The fire now only second priority to this travesty.

"What have you done with Numbuh 1?" Numbuh 4 demanded, "Wheh is he?"

The demon chuckled softly,

"Why, Nigel is right here." He pointed to himself proudly. "Being forced to bare witness all he holds dear falling by his own hands."

Numbuh 4 reeled with confusion. Numbuh 2 gently pulled his friend away from the spreading flame.

"Whot's that supposed ta mean?"

"You took over Numbuh 1's body." Numbuh 5's mind clicked, the answers flooding her sharp mind. "You knew we'd neva' suspect our own leaduh of anythang."

Father made Nigel smirk.

"Again you impress me. But I chose Nigel for more then one reason my dear." The fire suddenly exploded more violently then ever. A rafter nearly crashed onto the stunned Kids Next Door. "But I don't think that should be your top priority at the moment."

The wooden floor began to give way. Flame viscously devouring the tree and everything in it. Numbuh 2 gripped Numbuh 5's wrist.

"We have to get out of here!" He shouted, pulling her out their only exit. She stole one last glimpse of her possessed leader before running for safety.

Father laughed manically, as super villains tend to do in a moment of triumph. His fire dancing around him, reflecting his glee. Even if the Kids Next Door managed to get out alive, their tree house was doomed. They were doomed. He stopped, only upon noticing small trails of steam leaving his eyes. Loosing his flaming aura, he touched a hand to his stolen cheek.

"Tears?" He grinned bemused, "Nigel, have I upset you that much?"

A convulsion was the boy's answer. Somewhere deep inside the occupied body, Nigel tried desperately to regain control. Father snarled and flared up with all his strength until all signs of resistance were gone.

"Don't try fighting me boy." The adult ordered. "We still have so much to do."

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Numbuh 3 shrieked as an ignited bolster nearly crushed the staircase they were on. Numbuh 4 fearlessly kicked it out of their path and pulled her sleeve to keep her moving.

"Come on!" Numbuh 2 urged, the inferno behind them catching up at alarming speed. "This way!" He waved his team toward a small hatch on the wall. A garbage chute. The three smaller troops leaped in, a thankfully thin- enough Hoagie quickly following.

They crashed into the garbage cans that sat outside the Uno residence, landing on top of one another heaped along with the rubbish.

Sad eyes cast skyward at the burning tree above them. Dark ash filling the air, the malodor of soot flowing on the wind. Numbuh 4 bit his lip, not wanting to believe what he was seeing. They had been taken without a fight. A wolf in sacred sheep's clothing had tricked them and blown down their house of sticks. Nothing could be done.

"This isn't happening." He breathed, his pleading green eyes focused on Abby. "Please tell me this is just a bad dream."

"I wish it was, Numbuh 4." She frowned "I really wish it was."

The sound of rocket engines caught their attentions. Looking up they saw Numbuh 1's private space pod take off from the burning launch pad and disappear into the darkening atmosphere.

"Oh no..." Numbuh 5 swallowed fearfully, the realization sinking into her already overwhelmed mind.

"What's going on?" Numbuh 3 asked softly, seeing the fear on her companion's face.

"He's heading for the Moon base." Her capped head lowered. "He's gonna use Numbuh 1 like a Trojan horse and walk right past their adult detection grid."

"We gotta warn 'um!" Numbuh 4 shouted, resolved.

"How?" Numbuh 3 blinked.

Silence. It was a good question.

With their base reduced to firewood they had no way to communicate with their endangered superiors

"We'd betta think of somethan'" Numbuh 5 balled her fist. "Cause thangs are gonna get real bad up there."

To Be Continued...


	3. Aid

(Here's chapter 3. reloaded with some edits and a little more action. Chapter 4 is kinda long so I added the beginning of it to the end of three. If feel there's better suspense now too. I still don't own the KND. Enjoy!)

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The Gilligan house was immaculate, thanks to the morning long toil of Hoagie's mother. The four children running in didn't notice to appreciate the freshly dusted railing as they scrambled up the stairs. They had more pressing matters to focus on. Namely their unfortunate leader and the demon that now had control over his young body. More importantly, what that demon was planning to do to Kids Next Door Moon base once he got there. They had to warn mission command of the oncoming threat, which was why they were at Numbuh 2's house. They needed help.

"Tommy! Open up!" The older brother knocked at the bedroom door.

"You know the drill Hoagie." The nasally voiced sibling called from behind the door. The goggled boy frowned.

"Tommy, I'm not doing it. Now let us in. It's important."

"Nuh uh." Tommy protested. "Nobody gets in without saying the password first."

Hoagie rested his hand on his face with a sigh.

"Okay, fine." He took a breath before reciting in deadpan. "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of adults?"

The door flew open, the short, chubby figure standing in its frame. Cloaked fully in his dark cape and fedora, the squeaky voiced boy tried his best to sound menacing.

"The Tommy knows!"

Numbuh 4 was not enthused by these theatrics.

"Enough a this." He snorted, barging in past the eight-year old, the others following suit.

"Hey, I wasn't done yet." Tommy whined as Hoagie worked his way in.

"We don't have time for this Tommy." He explained, "Kids Next Door Moon base is in danger and we need your help."

"Really?" The eyes behind glasses widened at the prospect.

"Yeah, our base is toast, literally and father's controlling Numbuh 1 in ordah ta sneak past our adult detectah grid." Numbuh 4 finished.

"Father?" Now Tommy was really interested. He smirked, lost in his own little world, "My arch nemesis."

"He's all our nemesis" Numbuh 5 spoke. "and we need a way to contact moon base and warn them that Numbuh 1 isn't Numbuh 1."

"And a way to get up there in case it's too late." Numbuh 2 added.

"I've got a ship!" Tommy happily offered. "And I've got a radio-scanner-mabob tuned onto the private Top Secret Kids Next Door frequency to listen in for adult activity." He smiled proudly pointing to the makeshift piece of hardware. Hoagie's expression was less then prideful.

"Tommy, you know that those scanners are for Kids Next Door member use only!" he scolded.

Tommy backed down from his older brother's glare.

"Well, how else am I supposed to find adult tyranny to fight?" The younger tried to excuse himself.

"That isn't important now." Numbuh 5 interrupted. "We need to focus on warning the Moon Base." She paused to think, her mind on its second wind from the ordeal with Father earlier. "Can you rewire that radio-scanner-mabob to send transmissions?"

"Well sure." Tommy confidently replied.

"Then do it. And we'll need that ship too. Let's hurry guys. We don't have much time."

"Alright!" Tommy was in Comic book fanboy heaven. "An ultimate team-up of good to thwart evil!" He quickly grabbed a bunch of homemade gadgets off his desk and Numbuh 4 snatched up the radio. "I'm driving!"

"What?!" Hoagie protested, "No way! This is Kids Next Door business! I'm driving!"

"It's my ship Hoagie, I get to drive!"

"You still can't land yet without crashing, Tommy. I'm driving!"

Abby unclenched her teeth, sick of the squabbling siblings.

"Just shut up Y'all!" She glared at the duo. "Numbuh 2, yo drivin'. Tommy, you help Numbuh 5 rewire that radio." She noticed her teammates, plus their new addition, staring at her. She rarely had outbursts like this, only when Numbuh 1 was absent did she ever yell at this level. The impact of his not being there was evident on her fatigued face. Numbuh 4 cautiously placed his hand on her shoulder.

"We'll get 'im back," he promised, a hand becoming a fist. "I swear to it."

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The little space pod turned off its engines just outside the range of Moon Base censors. Father smiled wickedly gazing out at the fantastical glowing structure growing out of the moon's surface.

"Yes, this looks just about right." He muttered.

Raising Nigel's hand, he formed a hot ball in the palm and threw it behind him. Out in space, the pod's engines exploded.

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Numbuh 58 reclined in his chair, reading the latest Yipper Comic. So lost in the adventures of the flying dog, he had forgotten his job of monitoring the screens of Moon base command.

That is, until an S.O.S alert sounded, knocking him out of his chair.

"Whot's goin' on in here?" A shrill voice screeched, "Why haven't ya answered that Emergency distress alert?"

The boy scrambled to regain his senses. It was enough that the alarm was blasting in his ear, but having his superior officer yelling in his other frazzled him even more.

"Sorry Numbuh 86 sir." He babbled, "patching it through now."

A few buttons were pushed and the image of Numbuh 1's face appeared on the screen.

"This is Numbuh 1 of Kids Next Door sector V. Do you read me?" The likeness announced.

"And wot sorta trouble ya need us tah fish you outta this time?" Numbuh 86 asked with her usual grouchiness. The British boy's face pouted.

"We were attacked by the Delightful children and their Father without warning. Our base was destroyed. I got separated from my team during the escape. But my ship's been damaged I'll need assistance to get to the Moon base docking bay."

"Assistance is on the way Numbuh 1."

Numbuhs 86 and 58 turned at sound of her voice. Behind them Numbuh 362 stood, a serious look across her face as she watched the screens. She cast her eyes on her fellow operatives. "Lock onto his signal and send out a tow ship."

Salutes flew up all around and within a few minutes the damaged vessel was safely inside the Moon Base's docking bay.

Numbuhs 44a and 44b helped escort their visitor to the main control room, unnoticing the smile on his face as they effortlessly passed under the adult detecting security grid. When they reached their destination Numbuhs 86 and 362 were waiting.

"We haven't gotten any transmissions from the rest of your team yet Numbuh 1." The Moon Base leader told him. "But we're still looking."

"I do hope they're alright." The accented boy frowned "It all happened so fast. We never saw it coming."

86 huffed, eying Numbuh 1 with distain.

"I wouldn't be surprised if yah couldn't see a tree if you were an inch from smackin into it." She chided in a snarky manner. "Yer whole team was probably goofin' off like a bunch a ninnies."

The boy's shoulders shrugged.

"They are only children." He calmly replied.

Numbuh 362 got onto the computer and began typing.

"I'm putting out an APB to all surrounding sectors to keep a lookout for your team, Numbuh 1. Hopefully they'll find a way to gain contact." She turned for his answer, only to see he had vanished from the room. "Numbuh 1? Where'd he go?"

Numbuh 86, who had turned her attention to the monitors for the moment, shook her head unknowingly. The two girls shirked it off and returned to the matter at hand, unaware that their biggest concern was currently making his way through their base without detection.

-------------------------------------------------------000

"Okay, that should do it." Tommy declared, slipping his soldering tool back into his utility belt, He turned his head to his brother sitting at the pilot's seat. "Now can I drive?"

Numbuh 5 rolled her eyes and took up the makeshift microphone, starting the radio up, praying the Moon base would hear.

"Sector V to Moon Base, come in Moon base." Silence and static. "Come in Moon Base. This is Sector V, please respond."

"Moon base here." Numbuh 362's voice crackled over the speakers, sending waves of relief through the listeners. "Sector V are you alright? Numbuh 1 told us you had been attacked—"

"You spoke to Numbuh 1?" Numbuh 5 interrupted.

"Yeah, he's here safe and sound with us, so you don't have to- -"

"Moon Base you are in danger!"

"What?" the elder operative was confused.

"Numbuh 1 isn't Numbuh 1!" Numbuh 5 explained. "It's Father!"

"Impossible!" Numbuh 86 denied. "Even if Father was usin' his shape shiftin' ability tah pose as Numbuh 1, 'ar adult detection grid would have sniffed him out."

"That's the problem." The dark girl continued "Father is inside Numbuh 1's body, controlling him from beyond the grid's range."

There was silence; the superior officers of the Kids Next Door were stunned, trying to process this new information. 362 finally turned to 86.

"Take some troops and locate Numbuh 1. Hold him until I get there." 86 saluted and left the room. The blond turned back to the communication. "I'll meet you at the docking bay."

----------------------------------------------000

The interior of the Moon Base was labyrinthine to outsiders, and its current intruder surely would have gotten lost if it weren't for his carefully studied blueprints earlier. He reached a junction. One way leading towards the Moon Base's defense system controls, the other heading for the power core. Father was about to choose his destination when Numbuh 86, and a dozen of her selected troops, armed with small weapons, appeared from behind.

"Going somewhere 'Nigel'?" She grinned, mustard blaster in hand.

He turned around to face her. Face concealing his hidden intent.

"I was just going to check on the defense grid." He lied, using Nigel's calmest voice. "If the enemy could find a way past our defenses, they may have found a way past yours as well."

Fanny wasn't buying it. Not even for a second. Numbuh 1 may have been a flake at times, but she knew if he had fears about the defenses, he would have told 362 before doing anything himself.

"Good idea Numbuh 1." She held her weapon at the ready, aiming right for him. "But we already know where the enemy is."

The surrounding operatives drew their weapons and followed 86's example. A smile appeared on their target's face.

"So, you've found me out." The creepy combination of young and old spoke. "I'm glad. I was getting tired of keeping up this charade."

A black, hot aura enveloped Numbuh 1's body, giving him the appearance of the monster hidden within. Father laughed as flames flowed from his standing spot and lashed out towards the surprised Kids Next Door.

---------------------------000

The creaky wooden spaceship came to a rough landing in the small docking bay. Settling from the jolt, Numbuh 2 mentally noted that his brother's technical skills were best kept to non-air born ventures. The four operatives and their ally left the ship and greeted Numbuh 362 with proper salutations.

"We have him held in section 18. Numbuh 86 is handling the situation." She explained as she led them down the hall.

"We'll help anyway we can." Numbuh 5 offered.

"And you have THE TOMMY to assist you as well Numbuh 362 ma'am." Tommy interjected eagerly.

"We kinda had to bring him along." Five said flatly.

"We can use all the help we can get." 362 encouraged, causing Tommy to smirk at his elder company, his brother especially. Hoagie was calmed by his brother's pleasure but deeper in his mind he was fearful for the small one's safety and the fate of his abducted leader.

The group came upon the battle in full progress. Gumballs, flames, Frisbees and other projectiles soared through the air. Numbuh 86 in the middle of it all commanding with bravado.

"Sector V is here!" Numbuh 4 announced heroically. 86 waved them off.

"Just in time to see our successful capture." She called back proudly. The warriors had Father surrounded, distracting him from all sides with harmless weapons fire. His more deadly flare keeping them at a distance.

"Prepare ice cream assault!" her boisterous yell commanded.

A battalion of KND, armed with ice cream shooters and soft serve cannons, surrounded the area. They aimed at Father, ready to take his weakness to their advantage.

"Fire!"

Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flew everywhere in messy splatters. The cold, sticky blobs pummeling Father, burying him under the slop. Fanny turned to the latecomers, her freckled face beaming.

"Piece of cake." She finalized, giving her hands a dusting. The other's expressions were anything but satisfied. Their gazes focused behind her, wide and surprised, layered with worry and fear. The redhead turned with question to see that Father had not gone down.

He stood there solidly. Melting ice cream dripping from his pilfered body. Softly chuckling as the milky substance trickled from his fingertips harmlessly. Many operatives drew back in shock. The laughter ripped through the silence that had gripped the room.

"But, how?" Numbuh 86 stammered.

Father reached down and scooped up a handful of brown gunk. Running his tongue over it he gazed upon the frightened crowd.

"Mmmm… chocolate."

He cast his eyes on Numbuh 5.

"I told you before, I picked Nigel for more then one reason."

She gasped, the answer hitting her mind as a memory. An argument she had with Numbuh 1 over a mission he had wanted to go on during their day off. Dread squeezing her heart, remembering what he had told her.

"He doesn't get ice cream headaches."

"What?" Numbuh 362's eyes widened. Numbuh 5 hung her head.

"Numbuh 1 is immune to brain freeze. That 's why Father chose him, to cancel out his weakness to ice cream."

"Now what do we do?" Numbuh 2 asked fearfully.

"We keep fighting him until we find somethin' colder than ice cream." Numbuh 86 resolved with anger rising. She wasn't giving up to a technicality. "Fire at will!" She shouted at the top of her lungs.

Everyone with a weapon followed that order with the utmost fury. The room quickly filling with smoke and steam as Father ignited himself for defense. Flames burst through the fog forcing the firing squad to scramble to safety. The thick cloud dissolved slowly. 86 peering through the murkiness to relocate their target. A fiery form dashed down the hall away from the battle, a victorious laugh echoing off the walls.

"He's headed for the defense array!" The raging officer shouted. "Aftar him!"

The soldiers saw the being of blaze and gave chase, their commander close behind.

Numbuh 362 looked back on the members of Sector V. Their despondent faces staring at the scarred halls of battle.

"Numbuh 86!" she called out, pausing the redheaded fighter. "Make sure you take him alive." A nod, and the head of decommissioning disappeared into the furthest hall with the rest of her squad.

"Don't worry guys." The blond turned to assure those left behind. "Numbuh 86 knows what she's doing."

They where statues before her, silent, their minds clogged with the images that had just witnessed, trying not to consider the fact that perhaps their leader was gone. It did seem that Father had full control over Numbuh 1's body and was now wreaking havoc throughout the moonbase the boy had considered sacred, even enjoying the fact that he was being pursued…

"Somethang ain't right." Numbuh 5 shook her head, making her way over to the former battle zone. Brushing hair from her eyes she looked down the corridor her fellow Kid Next Door had chased their prey. With all the smoke in the room he surely could have slipped away unnoticed. But instead in had laughed loudly and attracted everyone's attention to him before running. He could have been gloating, but…

"It was too easy."

TO BE CONTINUED


	4. Struggle

Note to reader: Before reading any further please make sure you have read the updated version of chapter 3. If you do not you may be lost as to what is going on. If you have read the recently updated chapter then please continue. Have a nice day.

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Numbuh 86 ran swiftly as she tried to keep up with the fleeing Father. Nothing that her years as decommissioning head hadn't already conditioned her for. The flaming body came to a stop before the large doors of the defense grid nerve center and turned to face its attackers.

"Ha! We've got you cornered." She trilled arrogantly. "Fire at will!"

The fighting squad unleashed its payload without mercy, ready to make this their final stand if the need be. But stone hard expressions of valor quickly faded to confused grimaces as scoops of rapidly flying ice cream passed straight though their target as if he weren't really there. Where the ice cream hit, flame dissolved until there was nothing standing but trails of steam and the befuddled firing squad. It took a few seconds for Fanny to realize what had just happened.

"It was a decoy." She gasped, "Then, Father could be anywhere."

--------------------------------000

Swollen with self-satisfaction, Father gazed his sight upon the doors that kept him only a few measly feet from his goal. At first he considered simply burning the barrier down, but he decided that it might attract some unwanted attention. Something he didn't want especially if his ingenuous decoy was still in play. Instead, he opted for the subtle, and much to his liking, ironic approach.

"Just a few simple steps to victory." He smiled. Lifting the child's hand to the security scanner panel. The hand resisted, pulling away with a tremor. The dominating adult snarled at the disobedient limb, forcing it back where he wanted it.

"Hand print scanning…" The sweet computerized voice chimed from a local speaker. "Kids Next Door operative recognized; Sector V leader, Numbuh 1. Access approved."

The twin doors slid open giving father entrance to the round empty steel-walled room. Standing alone in the vacant silver void was a large cylinder mounted to a computer console. The massive glass tube extended from the console to the ceiling, humming quietly as brown liquid slowly bubbled within.

"The Kids Next Door Moon Base Cola power core." Father spoke of the awesome device. He had only heard about it from his spies, and was barely able to keep himself from admitting its ingenuity. Instead of relying on the footwork of hamsters like the earthbound bases, the moon base depended on the carbonation of a buhmillion gallons of caffeinated, sugary soda to keep things up and running. Much more advanced are far less messy then maintaining thousands of short-lived rodents. The core simply needed a single computer to monitor over it, and one determined, fire-manipulating adult to blow it all the kingdom come.

Placing his hands on the container, he superheated himself, flaming aura surrounding his body. He smirked as the bubbling of the tubed beverage began to pick up pace.

"Soon we'll be saying goodbye to the Kids Next Door…"

"You'll be wishing you said goodbye a lot soona af'ta dealin' with us!" A strong Australian accent roared from behind.

Father stole a glance over his shoulder. Standing in the doorway were six battle ready children, anger on their faces, staring him down. 362 pulled her communicator to her mouth.

"Numbuh 86, we found him. He's in the carbonated cola core."

"You're too late children." The warped vocals chided, "There's nothing you can do to stop me."

"We can try." The dark skinned second in command declared. She and her teammates drew their hastily grabbed weapons and aimed them at him. He laughed and turned back to his business with the core.

"Don't make me laugh. I have better things to do then play with you and your toys. Things like destroying this base."

He increased his heat, boiling the sticky fluid even more fervently. The Kids suddenly realizing what he was up to.

"He's overheating the core!" 362 gasped turning to the less informed. "If the pressure gets too high the entire Moon base will go supernova!"

"How do we stop it?" Numbuh 4 asked, near panicking. The blond girl exchanged his glance.

"First we get him away from the core."

A sneaky smile grabbed Tommy's face. He rushed past the others and headed straight for Father's field of vision.

"Hey match head!" The foolishly daring youth called out. "Are you too chicken to fight us like a man?"

"Tommy, what are you doing?" Hoagie called to his brother. The cloaked child ignored his older sibling and continued dancing around their enemy.

"Come on, I bet you've been wanting to get a piece of me. I've beaten you twice and I'm not even a Kid Next Door."

The bragging caught the enemy's attention. Yellow eyes glared at him as Father abandoned the bubbling core, stepping slowly towards the boy.

"Well, I have wanted an opportunity to reprimand you for getting in my way before." A casual ball of fire popped into his hand. "If that's your death wish."

The fireball soared at Tommy with frightening speed. The small boy only had a split second to press the button on his wrist gadget, deploying a grappling hook to the ceiling. Pulled upwards, out of harms way, he breathed a sigh of relief as the fire scorched the wall where he had just been standing.

Numbuh 2's heart did a somersault seeing his brother narrowly escape becoming crispy. 362 inwardly applauded his cunning.

"Guys, you help Tommy." She ordered Numbuhs 3, 4 and 5. She then gripped the stunned pilot's chubby arm, "You come with me." And pulled him along to the core's main computer.

The temperature reading was anything but comforting.

"This is not good." The leader muttered as she typed. The background noise of battle hardly distracting her, but filling her goggled cohort with much distress. "The core is way too hot. I'm initiating an emergency cooling procedure."

"That'll stop the core from exploding right?" Numbuh 2 asked, a ray of hope raising his voice.

"It may stop the temperature from rising anymore. We have to keep Father away from the containment unit." She slammed the enter key and a soft hissing sound filled the tubes coiled around the glass tank, the song of coolant entering the cola core. She sighed, "This better work. That coolant is the coldest stuff available in the moon base."

Hoagie's interest piqued. His train of thought was rattled by the sudden call of Fanny and her team.

"Numbuh 362," The red head shouted into the room, "Do ya need ar' assistance?"

362 yelled over the battle raging in the small room.

"Sound the evacuation alert!" She ordered, "The core is overloaded, it may explode! Get everyone you can out of the moon base."

The operatives behind Numbuh 86 all at once turned a shade of pale white and quickly followed the order to get the hell out of the doomed space tree. An emergency claxon blared over every load speaker and light within the massive base.

The sound hardly bothered the four children intensely occupied with keeping Father distracted. Numbuh 3's barrage of spicy yellow condiment was retorted with several blasts that singed the edges if her pretty hair. She whimpered in mourning as Numbuh 4 leapt out ahead of her, SPLANKER ready to taste heinie. The wooden weapon became a rod of crispy ash in his hand within seconds.

Tommy used an arm mounted slingshot to propel marbles at Father, but the glass spheres only melted into slop and hit the ground harmlessly in the demon's fiery barrier. The same effect occurred on the ammunition of Numbuh 5's gumdrop gun.

Not content to simply bare witness to this travesty of so-called fighting, Numbuh 86 rushed into the arena. The thought of retreat absent from her mind.

"Don't think I'm gonna leave the safety of Kids Next Door moon base tah you goofs." She addressed, joining the melee.

"Whateva'," Numbuh 5 glazed over her shoulder, "jus' watch yo back."

The added annoyance of another brat frustrated Father to no end. His tolerance as short as his temper was scorching, he sent forth a wave of blaze that forced the group away from his personal space.

"You're really getting on my nerves, you know that?" He asked with a deceptive calm, "I expect to not be bothered while I'm working, but you kids seem to be asking for trouble."

"Oh yeah, well… you started it!" Tommy sneered childishly.

Father's gaze narrowed at the chubby boy. He had just enough of that meddlesome cub getting in his hair.

"I tried to be patient with you boy, but it looks like it's time to deep fried a little meatball."

Hoagie snarled and decided now was as good as ever to unleash his plan.

"Hey! No body calls my little brother a meatball!" The zaftig pilot shouted, gaining all attention to him. Father turned to see the vengeful gumball shooter aimed right for him. He chuckled.

"You think that toy scares me? You're weapons are totally useless against me."

Hoagie didn't falter, even as Father made his way closer. His skilled hand tightened on his weapon. Just a few steps closer…

"Maybe so," he replied "But you're still under arrest. For breaking and entering, destruction of property… and grand theft Uno."

The faces of his friends who had just a moment ago shared a look of fear, contorted with shame and disgust over the corny line. Even Father cringed at its lameness.

"That was…that was simply horrible." The adult stammered, for once the youths around him agreeing. "I should cut out your tongue just for you saying it."

He was close enough now; the boy knew just what to do. He just needed to deliver the right line to go with it. Despite anyone's potentially sour reaction.

"You've got quite the temper," Numbuh 2 snorted, "It's about time you cooled it!"

One swift jerk was all it took to dislodge the coolant hose from the cola tank. His hidden hand flashing out his secret weapon, spraying the surprised Father with frosty white foam jetting out like root beer from a freshly shaken bottle.

The dark one screeched as the cold pierced through him. The ice cream from before was sunshine compared to this. Even his stolen body's defenses couldn't hold off the paralyzing chill. He sank to his knees, crying out in pain. Weakened, he hit the floor, unmoving.

The members of Sector V stood in awe of their pilot's ingenuity with smiles of triumph.

"Alright Numbuh 2!" Numbuh 4 raised a victorious fist into the air.

Numbuh 86 curled her lip, marching over to the confident subordinate.

"Oh brilliant, just brilliant…" She dropped her sarcasm with a poke to his ribs, "Except now thar's nothin' left ta keep the core from overheatin'!"

"Hey!" Numbuh 2 defended himself, "It was either that or let him fry us all!"

"Well, that's not go'n ta be a problem if we all get ar'selves blown up!"

362 placed a calming hand on the irate 86's shoulder.

"Guys, calm down!"

She was ignored. The bickering between maladroit and rageaholic became a nebula of peacekeepers and naysayers filling the room with their protests.

"Stop yelling at Numbuh 2!"

"I can yell at whoever I want!"

"Guys, what about the core?"

"Are you gunna take that from 'er?"

"It was so a good idea!"

"A good idea for a moron!"

"Don't call my brother a moron!"

Amongst the fury and yelling, the core went unmonitored, its overheated liquid waiting for the proper catalyst that would mean either doom or salvation for the Kids Next Door.

His eyes slowly opened as the warm fog lifted. His arms wobbled as he lifted himself, shaking the shivers from his body. A hand to steady his clearing head. The core; he looked right at it, remembering what was going on. Desperation stabbed through as he rushed for the console. He scanned the readings and knew that only thing that could be done. He only hoped he could act fast enough.

Numbuh 4 was busily yelling in his friend's defense when out of the corner of his eye he spotted Numbuh 1's form rise from the foam and run to the core. The Aussie grew a snarl as the bald one began rapidly typing at the controls.

"Almost, just have to…" The English accented mumble was cut short by a pair of orange arms wrapped around his neck and weight born on his back.

"Ah, no yah don't!" Numbuh 4 cried, leaping onto his target, pulling him away from the core and its delicate mechanisms.

"Numbuh 4, no! You don't understand!" Nigel struggled against the small but skilled hands at his throat. An anger, a heat, rose within him. An anger that was not his own. "No, not now!" He tried in vain to suppress the take over, but it was Wallabee who received the most pain from his leader's loss of control.

Father roared, a blast of fire cloaking Nigel's body, sending Wally to the ground with singed flesh. The enemy turned to him with a pleased chuckle, the other children now turning to witness.

"I must thank you for the distraction Wallabee," the deep voice praised, "Nigel was being quite disobedient."

Numbuh 4 nearly swallowed his tongue. He had attacked the wrong persona; he had attacked his leader, and perhaps their only hope.

"Nice going Einstein," Numbuh 5 scolded, "Numbuh 1 was tryin' ta help us!"

Numbuh 4 climbed to his feet.

"Well, ow was I supposed ta know e was the one in control?"

Father's laugh grew more maniacal as the young ones stared on fearfully.

"That's the problem with kids these days," he smiled, "they simply lack experience. That's why we adults always will win!"

He raised a hand and sent a powerful blast of fire at the core. The temperature reading rose upwards, passing the red line into the "mega soopa danger level." An alarm sounded and a computerized voice intruded.

"Cola core overload. Imminent explosion in five minutes."

The deceptively sweet computer warning sent a shockwave of fear into the children's souls.

"You see?" Father gloated. "The Kids Next Door are doomed. It seems I've put you brats in your place."

He was expecting sad, pouting faces of defeat, or at least, more looks of terror. But instead he was granted a circle of gritted teeth, frowning lips, narrowed eyes, furrowed brows, and angry snarls.

"That's it!" Numbuh 4's fists couldn't get any tighter. "I am SICK of hearin' your voice commin' outta Numbuh 1's mouth!"

A mandarin blur welcomed the punch to Father's face. Wally no longer cared if Numbuh 1 could feel it too. He would have wanted it this way. Seeing this act of trusting fury, the remaining members of the fighting party joined their comrade in battle.

Father fought them off like one would a spider's web accidentally walked into. He hissed at them.

"I was going to leave you the honor of being destroyed with your precious moon base. But if you pests wish to be exterminated now, it can be arranged!"

Flames spread to the walls in a flash. Momentarily knocking the operatives off their feet, but not stopping their campaign. Numbuh 362 grabbed 86 out of the way of a blast and looked her right in the eyes.

"I'm going for the core. Cover me."

The red-head saluted with a nod as the blond leapt towards the computer, quickly reading what had been typed during Numbuh 1's temporary control.

"He was trying to initiate a core purge."

"A purge of the cola reserves would cause us tah loose all main power." 86 reacted.

"But, it would stop the core from exploding." 362 explained, her fingers flying to the keypad. "I'm going to finish the command. You help Sector V."

86 left her leader's side and assisted in the flurry of futile combat against their powerful foe.

"Core explosion in one minute." The computer updated. All thoughts were on stopping Father from escaping. The coward would go down with them. He was only deserving, after all, he had the body of a Kid Next Door, might as well die like one.

362 hit the enter button. The computer began to process the command.

"Core explosion in thirty seconds."

86 chewed her lip with worry but refused to stop fighting.

Tommy shot a barrage of bottle caps out of a weapon he had pulled from his boot. He wasn't going to let his big brother down.

The computer buzzed and the emergency cola dump command open a compartment on the side of the console. 362's hand darted inside and grabbed the leaver that was now exposed.

"Core explosion in 5…"

Abby leapt over a wave of fire and pulled the trigger of her mustard gun.

"4…"

Wally grabbed Father by the leg, gritting his teeth against the blinding pain of his burning palm. He pulled, tripping the beast.

"3…"

Kuki blasted the newly disoriented enemy with her gun, keeping him down.

"2…"

Hoagie jumped into the air, performing a cannonball directly to Father's back. The adult cried out in pain.

"1…"

The lever was pulled. Bubbly brown liquid drained from the glass cylinder and was spilled out, a sticky, caffeinated blob, into the vacuum of space.

"Core purge successful, explosion avoided. Kids Next Door moon base switching to back up power. Have a nice day." The computer vocals distorted as all the lights, computer screens, televisions, communications, electronics of all sorts shut down throughout the moon base. The core containment room went completely black, save for the light from Father's flame.

He kneeled on the floor, regaining his composure. The children gathered around him, the crackling embers illuminating the anger in their faces.

Numbuh 5 placed her hands on her hips sternly.

"It's over Father."

Numbuh 2 glowered,

"We won."

Numbuh 4 demanded,

"So get out of Numbuh 1's body."

Numbuh 86 amended,

"An' git out of ar' moon base."

The red lights of the hamster powered backup generator snapped on. Giving the horde a better view of their vanquished.

"Admit defeat to children?" He growled, "Never! I'll destroy you one way or another. Even if I have to burn this place down plank by plank! And I think I'll start with you!"

He raised his arms to unleash his fury.

Then suddenly he stopped. Abandoning his threat to instead clutch his chest and head, gasping in pain.

"No…No more!" a familiar voice pleaded. "I won't let you."

The body forced itself to the ground, writhing in agony. Father found himself paralyzed by Nigel's pure will. The young boy commanded his muscles to recognize their true master, for the sake of his friends he had to regain control.

"That's it Numbuh 1! Fight him!" Numbuh 5 encouraged.

"You can't beat me!" Father's snarl rose from Nigel's throat.

"I will!" Numbuh 1 grunted. "I won't stand around while you hurt my friends any longer!"

It was HIS body, it HAD to listen; but Father's presence burned from within like a virus. He stood unsteadily, then fell back down again, flopping around like a marionette with wild strings. He again tried to stand, his flesh and blood finally yielding, but not without gut burning pain.

"Impossible!" The adult forced his protest. "You can't oppose me. I'm older then you!"

With his sunglasses lost in battle, the team could see the conflict in his eyes. He looked to his friends for solace, knowing what he had to do. As a leader, and a friend.

"You won't be bossing anyone around ever again." Nigel groaned, clumsily running out of the room, loosing himself and his parasite in the bowels of the darkened moon base.

His teammates followed, blinded by their concern.

TO BE CONTINUED


	5. Separation

Thanks everyone for the reviews! I loved and appreciated them all. And yes, I admit I do have a problem with over detailing and I'll try to cut down on that. Thanks for pointing it out for me. Now onto the story!

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The clop of boots echoed off the metal walls and steal walkway. Nigel urged his legs to stay their course, as Father demanded they stop. Loosing balance he caught himself on the walkway's railing.

"Numbuh 1!" The worried voices from behind turned his head. He frowned, why had they followed him?

"Stay away!" He stuttered.

"We just want to help you!" Numbuh 3 called to him.

The charcoal red glow overtook him once again as Father's scowl stole his mouth.

"You can't save him. He's mine!"

The evil grinned and lifted a flaming hand out, ready to blast the squad.

"No!" Nigel gripped his wrist redirecting the flame onto the walkway, burning a molten hole to block the path for his friends. It was for the best that they couldn't follow.

Mouths remained gaping as he fled from sight.

"Poor Numbuh 1." Numbuh 2 bowed his head.

"We gotta do something!" Numbuh 4 looked just about ready to chance jumping the gap.

"Do what?" Numbuh 86 pointed at the hole, "He made it pretty obvious he didn't want tah be followed."

Numbuh 3 looked to her commanding officer with moist eyes.

"But…" her lips quivered, "He's hurting…"

Fanny glanced to the others with uncertainty. She knew the options were slim, but Numbuh 1 was still a Kid Next Door, and a friend, and no kid deserved such torment.

"We have to follow him." 362 stated, "He can cause a lot of damage in his condition. To the moon base and to himself."

Abby stared across the break.

"But how are we gonna…?"

Her question was cut short by the clink sound of Tommy's of grapping hook gripping a steal pipe above the walk way. He smiled at her, flaunting his ambitious grin smugly.

"Bet you're glad you brought me along now, huh?"

-----------------000

After the group was safely and successful over the gap a trail of scorch marked walls and flickering embers indicated where their friend had gone.

"He's headed towards the garbage disposal unit." 362 deduced.

"Wot's e gonna do there?" Numbuh 4 quipped, "Burn some trash?"

"We only use that unit to jettison our garbage into deep space." The explanation given brought Abigail's eyes to swell.

"The one place colder then ice cream…" She whispered.

Numbuh 2 took notice of her stationary expression, not hearing what she had murmured. Whipping around, her face snapped to an unnatural amalgamation of knowing horror and uncertain determination.

"We have to stop him!"

She took the lead drawing the others behind her. They were amazed by her sudden burst of speed. A speed that had desperation in its wake.

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His hand trembled forcing it to the override command. By punching in the right sequence he would be able to control the outer airlock door from the inside.

"What good will running do you boy?" Father's voice asked from within his head.

"I'm getting rid of you once and for all."

Father laughed at the child's response as the inner airlock door slid open.

"I cannot be defeated so easily."

Nigel wouldn't believe the bluff, Father was afraid. Why else would he be putting up such a struggle? The squall of blood raged inside him, boiling in his chest. The heat threatened to haze his mind, but he entered the enclosure and shut the barrier behind him.

Fighting the heavy strings, he pulled off the protective panel. The weight of Father's current nearly drowning him.

"It's useless Nigel." The deep voice echoed in his skull, "As long as there are adults that seek domination over kids, I will never be destroyed."

Only the pull of an emergency leaver stood between cold victory and smoldering defeat. Nigel strained to reach it.

"As long as there are kids who fight tyranny… I will not give up."

His fingers grasped the handle.

"Numbuh 1!"

He saw the frightened eyes of his second in command through the tiny window of the inner door. He hadn't wanted any witness, but at least now he had a chance to tell her…

"Goodbye."

The gravity of the room shifted 90 degrees as he was yanked out the open door, plunging him into the sparkle-speckled ink.

And he wasn't the only one suddenly feeling no air in their lungs.

"Get that airlock open Numbuh 2!" Numbuh 5 ordered. He was already one step ahead of her, rearranging wires trying to override his leader's previous locks.

"I'm on it!"

-----------------------------------000

Cold. So very cold.

Father couldn't stand it. It gripped him in a stinging paralysis, ebbing away his concentration and power. His grip on Nigel began slipping, the body growing as cold as the lack of air around it. With no heat to cling to, the amorphous cloud of black and crimson expelled itself from the child's mouth with only two things on its mind. Get someplace warm, and then get revenge. Father snarled inwardly. Defeated again. How could children defeat him? All his plans, all his studies and calculations, why did they have all the luck? He eyed Nigel's body floating nearby. At least the boy was out of the way. The most meddlesome of the Kids Next Door menace drifting helplessly, lifelessly, drifting… towards the moon base?

It took a moment to register the grappling hook that was now latched to Nigel's boot, reeling him back towards the open airlock of the moon base. Back to where eager and hopeful friends were waiting.

The Gilligan brothers shared a huge grin as the tether pulled Numbuh 1 back towards safety. Tommy held his winch firmly as his brother anchored him to the wall. The rest of the team gripped anything bolted down to keep from being flung out into the vacuum, resisting the storm of air and debris flowing past them.

"We almost got him." Numbuh 2 encouraged, anticipating the body wafting towards them.

"Be ready to close that airlock Numbuh 86." Numbuh 5 ordered to 86 poised at the leaver, small hands grasping it tightly.

Father snarled into the void. How dare they? He would not allow them another victory; Nigel had to die!

Taking his solid form he reached for the senseless boy. Swimming after him in ungraceful flailings. The children saw this unwanted fish coming, stuck with panic and fear for their helpless companion.

Numbuh 4 braced himself behind Tommy and gripped the tether in his thick hands, pulling with all his energy and determination.

"Can't you reel this thing any fasta'?" He criticized; tugging the rope, drawing it in tides, faster then the electric winch could on its own. The added burst of speed snatched Nigel from the fingertips of evil intent.

Father stretched his reach furiously after Nigel. So headed with rage he had forgotten the cold. He lunged toward the open airlock, murder in his eyes. Straining to grasp the pale, dangling hand, Father was shocked to discover brittle crystals forming on his own. The ice spread over his digits, creeping up his arm at horrific speed. His pursuit immediately forgotten as his stiff limbs became encapsulated in a thick cold shell. As it crackled from his chest over his neck and face he let out an anguished cry that was lost to the silence of space.

Numbuh 4 gripped Nigel's leg and in one last yank pulled his friend back into the sanctuary of the moon base. Numbuh 86 threw up the leaver, slamming the airlock with a snap. The impact of the sliding panels thrusting Father's frozen form backwards. The inertia causing it to drift aimlessly away from the extraterrestrial tree house, vanishing into the endless beyond.

"We did it!" Numbuh 3 cheered, hugging the two nearest people. Wally and Fanny grunted under the embrace. Numbuh 362 exhaled for what felt like the first time in forever. Her relief however was fleeting. Casting her eyes on Numbuhs 2 and 5, who looked over Numbuh 1 with widened, terrified eyes.

He laid in their arms, motionless, pale blue lips framed with the permafrost blood trailing from his nose. She brushed her dark hand over the chilly white dust lacing his skin. Numbuh 2 gently shaking his head, hoping his eyes would open. 362 lowered her head. Tommy found himself silenced. 86 bit her lip. 4's jaw dropped. 3 watched with curiosity.

"Wake up Numbuh 1." Hoagie pleaded. Kuki giggled.

"Aw, let him sleep. He's had a rough day."

Wally took her hand, fighting all his emotions.

"e's not sleepin' Numbuh 3."

Her smile morphed back to confusion.

Numbuh 362 placed her hand on Numbuh 2's shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was soft. "We did all we could. He'll be remembered for his sacrifice."

Numbuh 5 knew she was about to cry, but she sucked it up. A wave of resolve taking control.

"No. He didn't give up, and neither are we!" She ripped off her hat and laid the body prone, cleared the airway, and pressed firmly down on the ribcage.

They watched silently as she pumped his chest. They gave their prayers as she sealer her mouth over his and gave him all the precious air in her lungs.

"Come on Numbuh 1." She urged, repeating the process. "Please Nigel."

Pea soup tension and gelatin nerves dominated the room. Everything shattered with a cough. The once still chest now rising and pulling down with determined struggle.

Numbuh 1 wheezed and choked, his muscles aching terribly. His senses returning to him, he pulled in on himself, huddling into a fetal position against the shivers that wracked his body. Numbuh 5 held him close for warmth, bracing herself against his sputters and shakes. Numbuh 2 snatched the cape from his brother's shoulders and draped it over his leader like a blanket. Pink tinged saliva dribbled from Nigel's mouth, slowly grasping where he was through sounds and hunches, his eyes still frozen shut. Relief caressed the children's hearts, wicking away all fears and sadness. Nothing but cheer and peace.

TO BE CONTINUED

One more chapter to go


	6. Some other beginnings end

"Keep it comin' yah lazy good far nuthins!" Numbuh 86 harped at the skittish operatives busily dumping heavy gallons of soda into the power core cylinder. "I wan'ta see that core refilled an' operational within the 'our!"

A few "yes ma'am"s spat out shakily as the armor- clad children picked up their paces. Numbuh 362 watched the reconstruction with pride. Knowing that the decommissioning head could handle the reinstallation, 362 casually sauntered towards the medical bay where a special group was waiting.

---------------------000

A motley collection of various plastic tubes, motors, a silent accordion pumping away, a plunger, an empty glass jar, all connected into a machine flowing air into a cup strapped over Nigel's nose and mouth. An electric blanket tucked around him to keep him warm. Kuki watched the monitors and gave her friends an optimistic smile. The sound of a door sliding open and closed mingled among the beeping devices.

"How's he doing?" 362 asked, entering.

"His temperature was a little wonky at first, but he should be okay after some rest." The nurse clad Kuki replied.

"We're almost done refilling the power core." 362 explained, "Once we get full power back up and running, we can focus on repairing your base."

Numbuh 5 turned away from her vigil to reply.

"That's great, thanks."

"We should be thanking you." Gratitude was refunded, "You warned us about Father." 362 stole a glance at the sleeping Numbuh 1, "We would have never guessed he'd stoop that low. We never would have stopped him without you." She paused at Tommy's eager face, "All of you." The young one's grin widened before slipping smugness to his brother. She turned to leave the group, but not before again gazing at Numbuh 1. "We were lucky not to loose him" she added, "Not any kid would have done what he did."

Numbuh 4 beamed as if he were the pride heir.

"That's ar' Numbah 1! Nuthin' beat's im!"

"Yeah," she agreed, "He's not like other kids. He's special."

With that complement, she left the room.

Numbuh 2 yawned, flexing his arms over his head.

"Maybe we should grab a root beer and call it a day."

A groan gripped their attention and directed it to the hospital bed where Numbuh 1 stirred. His eyes opening to loving blurs standing at his bedside.

"Guys?" His horse voice croaked. Numbuh 5 placed her hand upon his.

"Don't talk, save yo strength."

His breath was dry and brittle, crackling as it ventured from his lungs to mouth and back again. He wanted to move, but couldn't, or he decided not to, his mind was too hazy to determine.

"What happened to…?"

"We got im Numbuh 1." Numbuh 4 interrupted, his words taking energy, suddenly realizing what this entailed. "You did good."

"Yeah, you totally showed Father who was boss!" Tommy jumped in front of Numbuh 4, "He was all, 'ARG!' but you were all, 'GRR!' It was so cool!"

Foggy blue eyes showed the smile hidden by the breathing aid.

"Thank you, for not giving up on me…" he wheezed.

"Aw, you woulda done the same fo' any of us."

There was an understanding silence in the room. Only the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor rang out until Numbuh 2 decided to speak.

"So, now that Father is gone, we'll have some more free time, huh?"

Nigel frowned. The adult's last words stinging, crawling around in his mind like a scorpion. He looked to his friends with the serious glare they had grown accustomed to him having since they first became a team.

"I wouldn't be so complacent, Numbuh 2. The work of a Kid Next Door is never done."

------------------000

Black sprinkled with shining starlight. Cold and lifeless like everything else around it, the chunk of ice and its wicked cargo drifted further and further into deep space. No signs of stopping, not for anything…

Until a metal arm came from out of nowhere and grasped the frosty gem, plucked it up and drew it into a large space ship.

The encasement was placed on a circular floor surrounded by space heaters and warm spotlights. Two forms clad in armor made of sugar cone held up dryers to speed the thaw. As this occurred, ten glass- blue eyes gazed vacantly upon the dark silhouette trapped within the ice prison.

"Do not worry Father," They sang from the shadows, "You will be free in no time. As for the Kids Next Door," cruel smiles transformed emotionless faces, "rest assured, they will be properly punished."

The laughter of joyful vengeance was a warning lost in the vacuum of space.

THE END


End file.
